Cover guard for pay telephone station



y 1968 R. B. NAWMAN v 3,391,256

COVER GUARD FOR PAY TELEPHONE STATION Filed July 19, 1965 IIF'I E 5INVENTOR- A 0Lu 3 /VA WMAA/ BY WWW A PNEYS United States Patent3,391,256 COVER GUARD FOR PAY TELEPHONE STATION Rollie l3. Nawman,Piedmont, Calif, assignor to Benner- Nawman, lnc., Oakland, Calif, acorporation of California Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.324,567, Nov. 18, 1963. This application July 19, 1965, Ser. No. 472,845

9 Claims. (Cl. 179-189) This invention generally relates to paytelephone stations, and is more particularly directed to a cover guardwhich is adapted to be releasably secured over such pay station to notonly improve the appearance of the latter, but to also serve to preventthe breaking into such station for theft of coins therefrom or otherwrongful interference with its operation. This application is acontinuation in part of my copending application, Ser. No. 324,567,filed Nov. 18, 1963, now Patent Number 3,317,674 and entitled, PayTelephone Station.

In the aforementioned application, there is disclosed conventional formsof pay telephone stations in which a cover or guard is provided, thelatter being adapted to be releasably secured in position over thestation so as to merely expose the dial, the coin receiving slots, thecoin return chute, and the hand set cradle or hook. With the coversecured in position, access to the coin box through the normallyprovided hinged door on the station is effectively prevented since theunitary construction of the cover prevents such access in absence ofremoval of the cover from its mounting means.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cover or guard asabove described in which the cover may be secured to a pay telephonestation without requiring any modification or alteration of the existingphone station or the mounting of the latter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cover of the typedescribed in which the cover may be readily and automatically snappedinto locking position over the station, and which requires a key topermit removal .of the cover from the station for collection of coins,servicing or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovecharacter including a latch assembly in which there are a minimum numberof parts, which may be constructed at a minimum of cost, and which maybe installed on existing stations with a minimum of expense ordifficulty.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a telephone pay station with thecover of the instant invention being operatively inserted thereover.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, butwith the cover installed.

FIGURE 3 is a crosssectional view taken substantially in the planeindicated by line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the operating portion of thelatch assembly by means of which the cover is releasably secured to thetelephone station.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view indicating the manner ofassembling one portion of the latch assembly onto the telephone station.

As shown in the drawing, the cover of the present invention, generallyindicated by the numeral 12 is adapted for operative installation inoverlying relationship to a pay telephone station 13. The station 13which of itself for-ms no part of the present invention, is of generallyconventional form and consists of a back plate 14, side walls 15extending forwardly from the back plate, a dial 16 on the front wall, acoin receiving mechanism 17, and a coin return mechanism 18. Theparticular form of casting used in such pay stations is not critical foran understanding of the instant invention, other than for the fact thatthe type of station particularly adapted for reception of the presentcover includes a wire raceway 21 positioned centrally and rearwardly ofthe back plate 14, the latter being provided with a forwardly extendinghorizontal flange 22 at the bottom thereof. The manner in which suchraceway and flange are utilized will be presently explained in moredetail.

The cover member 12 is of generally rectangular configuration andincludes a front wall 26 having an upper circular opening 27 for accessto the dial 16, and may also include a coin release button 28 adapted toactuate the coin release mechanism conventionally provided on the paystation. The top wall 29 of the cover is provided with an aperturethrough which the coin receiving member 17 of the station extends whenthe cover is in operative position. Front wall 26 is also provided witha slot 31 adjacent the lower portion thereof through which the coinreturn mechanism 18 is adapted to extend. The cover is generallycompleted by side walls 32 and a bottom wall 34. As will be understood,the rear portion of the cover is open, so that the cover may be placedin overlying and encompassing relationship to the telephone station 13.

Means are provided for releasably securing the cover to the station, andin this connection there is provided a novel form of latch assembly withone portion 36 of such assembly adapted to be secured to the station,and a cooperating latch portion 37 which is carried on the bottom wall34 of the cover. As will be presently described in more detail, when thelatch portion 36 is secured to the station, the cover may merely bebrought into position over the station, and the latch portions will beautomatically locked in position without further attention or assemblyrequirements on the part of the installer. Thereafter, by means of a keymechanism, the latch portions 36 and 37 may be released so as to provideaccess to the station by swinging or pivoting the cover away from thestation.

Referring first to the latch portion 36, the same is best illustrated inFIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawing, and will be seen to include ahorizontally disposed retaining plate 41 having a downwardly extendinglip 42 along the front edge portion thereof. A pair of bolt members 43extend downwardly from spaced portions of the plate. An angle member 46is positioned subjacent the plate 41 and includes a vertical web 47 anda horizontally disposed flange 48 extending forwardly therefrom. Theflange has a pair of apertures 49 to receive the bolts 43. In order toinstall these members on the existing telephone station, it is merelynecessary to place the rear edge portion of plate 41 over the stationflange 22, insert the bolt portions 43 of the plate through the flangeapertures 49, and by means of nuts 51, secure the angle member 46 to theplate and consequently to the pay station, It will be noted that a pin52 extends upwardly above flange 43 from a central portion of web 47,and such pin is insertable into the wire raceway 21 of the station. Itwill also be noted that the web 47 of the angle member lies against thecommon wall with the back plate of the station, and thus, with the pin52 inserted into the raceway and the nuts 51 tightened on the bolts 43,the angle member 46 will be rigidly secured to the station 13 with theweb 47 extending across the rear surface of the unit.

It will be noted that a pair of catches 56 are provided which extendforwardly from spaced portions of web 47. Each catch has a forwardlyextending curved cam surface 57 and a downwardly directed notch 58provided in such surface for a purpose presently to be explained.

With the latch portion 36 operatively installed on the telephone stationas best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the cooperating latchportion 37 which is carried on the bottom wall 34 of the cover may beoperatively secured thereto.

As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 of the drawing, the latch portion 3'7includes a flat plate 60 secured to the wall 34 such as by welding 61.The plate is provided with flanges 62 at the ends thereof with theflanges generally parallel to the cover side walls 32. A rod 63positioned forwardly of the plate and normal to side walls 32 isjournalled in the flanges 62 by means of rearwardly extending rodportions 64- having inwardly extending stub shafts 66 extending inwardlythrough aligned apertures provided in the flanges. Such stub shafts maybe secured in the flanges by means of cotter keys or the like. The rod63 is normally maintained in the horizontal position shown in FIGURE 4with one rod portion 64 resting on a lug 68 disposed above the plate 69.A torsion spring 69 is provided with a portion of the spring woundaround one of the stub shafts 66 and an end thereof overlying a portionof one of the rod portions 64 so as to keep the rod normally inengagement with the supporting lug 68. The rod 63 is free to pivotupwardly about the horizontal stub shaft axis and against the resistanceof spring 69 for a purpose presently to be explained.

With the latch portion 36 attached to the telephone station 13 as abovedescribed, and with the latch portion 37 mounted in the bottom wall ofthe cover 12, the latter may be secured in place in overlyingrelationship to the station in the following manner. First, the top wall29 of the cover is provided with a lug 71 extending downwardly and suchlug is first positioned in the upper portion of the raceway 21 of thepay station. Next, the cover 12 is pivoted downwardly in the directionof the arrow in FIGURE 1 and the rod 63 will first engage the catches56. As the cover is pushed towards the rear wall of the station, i.e.,in a counterclockwise position as viewed in FIGURE 1, the rod will rideup on the cam surfaces 57 against the action of the spring 69 untilreaching the notches 58. The spring will then cause the rod to snap intolocking engagement with such notches. In this position it will be seenthat clockwise movement of the cover is effectively prevented andconsequently the cover will be locked in place.

In order to release the cover such as for servicing of the station, orto obtain access to the coin box of the station, a key operatedmechanism 76 is provided. This mechanism is extremely simple and maymerely consist of a horizontal plate 77 extending outwardly from one rodportion 64 of the latch mechanism with such plate being apertured toreceive a lift rod 78 which extends upwardly along a side wall 32 of thecover. The lower end of the rod is bent as indicated at 79, so that uponraising of the rod the plate 77 and consequently the rod 63 willlikewise be raised so as to release the rod from the notches 58. Theupper end of rod 78 is bent as shown at 81 and jo-urnalled in an arm 82which is mounted on a key actuated lock 83. Thus, when a key is insertedand turned in the lock 83, the arm 82 is raised, likewise raising rod78, plate 77 and shaft 63, thereby releasing the latter from the notches53 and permitting the cover to be swung in a clockwise position andreleased from station.

What is claimed is:

3.. A cover guard including a first latch portion adapted to be securedto a telephone pay station installation, said cover guard having afront, side, top and bottom walls with an open back portion adapted tobe placed in ovcrlying relationship to such station, a cooperating latchportion on said cover including a resilient member releasably engageablewith said first latch portion upon movement of the cover into saidoverlying relationship and key actuated means for releasing said memberfrom said first latch portion for releasing the cover from the station.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said cooperating latchportion includes a rod normally and resiliently maintained in adepressed position, said first latch portion including a notch forreceiving said rod, and said key means having a keyhole extendingthrough a side wall of said cover for raising said rod out of said notchupon actuation of said key means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said first latch portionincludes an upwardly sloping surface terminating in said notch wherebysaid rod, upon movement of the lower portion of said cover toward saidstation will ride upwardly on said surface prior to snapping engagementwith said notch.

4. A latch system for releasably securing a cover to a fixed telephonepay station installation including a first latch member having ahorizontally extending curved surface terminating in a downwardlyextending notch, said first member being attached to said fixedinstallation, a second latch member mounted on said cover and includinga horizontally disposed rod pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis,spring means yieldabiy urging said rod into a downward position, andsaid rod, upon movement of said cover towards said fixed installationriding upon said curved surface and then snapping into said notch forreleasably locking the cover to the installation.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which key means are providedextending exteriorly of said cover for raising said rod out of saidnotch.

6. Apparatus for releasably locking a cover onto a pay telephone stationin which said station is provided with a lower forwardly extendingflange and a vertical raceway, the combination therewith of a coverhaving a top, side, bottom and front walls and an open back adapted tobe positioned in overlying relationship to said station, said coverhaving a downwardly extending lug adapted to be pivotally engaged withthe upper end of said raceway for Swinging motion of said cover from andtowards said station, a latch mechanism including a first portionreleasably attachable to said station flange, said member having aforwardly extending projection including a forwardly and downwardlydirected cam surface having a downwardly directed notch adjacent anupper portion thereof, said cover having a second latch portionincluding a horizontally positioned rod journalled for pivotal movementabout a parallel spaced axis, means resiliently urging said rod into alowermost position, and said rod upon movement of the cover into closingengagement with said station riding on said cam surface and urged bysaid last named means into snapping into said notch for securing thecover over said station.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said first portionincludes an upwardly extending lug positioned in the lower end of saidraceway.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including a vertically extendinglift element attached to said rod, and a key mechanism having a keyopening extending from a side wall of said cover for raising saidelement and moving said rod out of engagement with said notch forreleasing the cover from said station.

9. Apparatus for releasably locking a cover onto a pay telephone stationin which the cover includes a front, top, bottom and side walls and anopen back and said cover is pivoted to the station at the upper endthereof for swinging movement of the bottom of the cover from andtowards the station, a first latch portion attachable to the bottomportion of said station and including a pair of spaced catches eachhaving an upwardly and rearwardly directed cam surface terminating in adownwardly directed notch, a second latch portion secured to the bottomwall of said cover and including spaced bearings, 21 horizontallydisposed rod having extensions thereof journalled in said bearings,Spring means normally urging said rod downwardly, said rod upon movementof said cover into closing position engaging said cam surfaces andsliding upwardly along the same against the resistance of said springmeans and then snapping into said notches.

No references cited.

1. COVER GUARD INCLUDING A FIRST LATCH PORTION ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TOA TELEPHONE PAY STATION INSTALLATION, SAID COVER GUARD HAVING A FRONT,SIDE, TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS WITH AN OPEN BACK PORTION ADAPTED TO BEPLACED IN OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO SUCH STATION, A COOPERATING LATCHPORTION OF SAID COVER INCLUDING A RESILIENT MEMBER RELESABLY ENGAGEABLEWITH SAID FIRST LATCH PORTION UPON MOVEMENT OF THE COVER INTO SAIDOVERLYING RELATIONSHIP AND KEY ACTUATED MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID MEMBERFROM SAID FIRST LATCH PORTION FOR RELEASING THE COVER FROM THE STATION.